Chicken-coop



N0.7'53,22s. K PATBNTBDMAR. 1,1904.'

' H. R. BRIDGERS.

CHICKEN c0012.

APPLIUATION FILED MAB.. '1. 19Q3.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET.; 1.

wlfljes l No. 753,228. PATENTBD MAR. 1,1904. H. R; BRIDGERS.

CHICKEN COOP.

APPLIUATION FILED MAR. '1. 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented March 1, 1904. l

PATENT OFFICE.

HALL R. RRIDGERs, on4 MoReANToN, NORTH oARoLINA, AssIoNoR on ONE-HALE To RICHARD H. sPEIoHr, JR., or MoRsANTou ,NORTH CAROLINA.

Application iled March 7, 1903.

To'ill whom, t muy concern: y t

Be it known that I, HALL R. BRIDeERs, a citizen of the United Statesresiding at Morganton, in the countyv of Burke and State of- North Carolina, have invented a -new and useful yChicken-Coop, of whichthe following is a specification. .p v AThis invention relates generally to chickencoops, and particularly to the class known as collapsible coops.

The object of the invent-ion is to provide a coop which may be readily set up or knocked down and which when in the latter condition will lie perfectly fiat, thus to facilitate piling one on the other for the purpose of reshipment. Y f

A further object Ais to Vdispose the parts in such manner that when. set up for use there will be a mutual bracing coaction between the parte. f

Afurther object is to eliminate as far as possible the employment of any metal in effecting the assemblage of the parts, thereby cheapeningV the cost of production of the structure.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the sameconsists in the novel construction and combination of parts of a chicken-coop, as will .beliereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specication, and in which like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts, there is illustrated one form of embodiment of the invention capable o f carrying the same into practical operation, it being understood that the elements therein exhibited may be varied or changed as to shape, proportion, and exact manner of assemblage without departing from the spirit thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the coop, exhibiting it as it appears when set up for use. Fig. 2 is asimilar view` showing the coop knocked down, one of the sides being folded back.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the bottom of the coop, to the sides of which are secured two base-sills 2 and 3. The bottom may be constructed of any suitable material,

CHICKEN-COOP.

I v SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 753,228, dated Maren `.1, 19o4. l y Y Serial No. 146,750. (No model.)

in Fig. 1: Each end comprises a pair of stiles.

7 and a-pair of rails 8, the latter-being connected by rods 9, preferably of wood, although they may be of metal, if preferred. -Each side comprises two Stiles 9 and two rails 10, these parts being secured together at their terminals in any preferred manner, as bybeing nailed or dowe-led together, the rails being connected by rods 11.

The top comprises in this instancefour rails 12, disposedin parallel relation to each other and connected by cross-rods 13, one of which, preferably atthe center of the top, being cut away, as shown at 14, to constitute 'a guide for a door 15, which latter is lprovidedwith a transverse orifice to receive the rod 14,' its ends being grooved at -16 to embrace'and be guided by two of the rods 13. This yform of door will be thoroughly effective in use for the purpose designed'and'may beheld in its closed position by any suitable form of fastening device, as by va spring-plate 17, having at its free end an opening to-engag'e with a pin 18, carried by the rail 12, adjacent to the door.

In order that the structure may be folded down perfectly fiat with the top resting upon the bottom, the rails of the end 5 are secured on the outer sides of the Stiles, as shown in Fig. 1, and connection between theV said Stiles and the base-sills is effected through the medium of pivots 19, extending through the projecting ends of the sills and into the stiles, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The stiles of the end L are associated with the vprojecting endsof the sills by the lower rail, which has its end reduced, as at 20, to project through the stiles and through orifices in the projecting endsvof thesills, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, the terminals of the upper raii of the said end being also reduced to present pintles 21, which work in orifices disposed near the upper terminals of the stiles 7.'

The connection between the stiles of the ends and the rails 12 of the top is effected in each instance by a top connecting bar or rod 13, which bars also constitute the end rods of the top of the coop, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, which project through orifices adjacent to the upper ends of the stiles for this purpose. The connection between the base-sills and the sides is effected in this instance by providing the lower rails of the latter at their ends with pintles 22 to work in keepers 23, carried by the upper edge of the sills; but'it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to this exact form of connection, as ordinary hinges secured to the inner sides'of the sills and the rails might be employed and still be 'within the scope of the invention.

As will be noted by reference to Fig. 1, the disposition of the two side rails of the top being against the inner sides of the stiles of the ends will permit the upper ends of the sides to be passed in between the stiles and bear against these rails, and when thus positioned, as shown in Fig. 1, it will be seen that the coaction between the stiles of the sides and of the ends will operate positively to prevent collapse of the coop, any inward thrust on the ends being received by the ends of the sides, thereby positively bracing the structure against tendency to collapse from superposed weight.

' To hold the crate set up in the position shown in Fig. 1, suitable fastening devices are to be employed for clamping or binding the two side rails of the top and the two top rails of the sides together, and various devices may be employed for this purpose, that shown herein consisting of a pair of hooks 24, carried by by each of the top rails of the sides, which will adapt it to engage pins 25, carried by the upper rails of the sides. To hold the crate in its collapsed position, thus to prevent the sides from falling outward in being handled, the

hooks 27, carried by the inner sides of the two intermediate rails of the top.

As will be seen by reference to Fig. 2, when the crate is collapsed the top folds down iiat upon the bottom and the sides upon the upper side of the top, and by this arrangement the sides will always be kept clean and free from any objectionable material contained by the coop.

It will' be seen from the foregoing description that the only metal employed about the coop of this invention are the pintles 22 and keepers 23 of the sides and the fastening means for holding the parts of the structure in either set-up or collapsed position, and by thus constructing the coop the cost of its production will be reduced to a minimum without in the least detracting from its strength.

This coop may also be used as a crate for shipping various articles of merchandisesuch as apples, potatoes, cabbage, and the like-and it may also be used as an egg-crate Without material alteration.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a crate, the combination with a bottom, of sills extending longitudinally thereof with their ends projecting beyond the same, ends comprising stiles pivoted to the projecting endsof the sills and a top connecting-bar, a top pivotally engaging the'top connectingbars of the ends and adapted to fold with the latter by a movement longitudinally of the bottom, and sides pivoted to the longitudinal sills and adapted normally to lie between and engage the end stiles to prevent folding of the parts.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto axed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HALL R. BRIDGERS.

Witnesses:

J. A. LAGKEY, J. E. Hooi). 

